babble mix

10/2005 Oooh, Spy

I’m a spy.

Not exactly someone who goes on dangerous assignments, but I do get assignments undercover – as a mystery shopper.

I signed up with several mystery shopping companies hired by other companies to do their customer service or market research. These mystery shopping companies give us assignments which can accept or decline if the locations and/or schedules don’t work for us.

On an assignment, I come in to the store posing as an ordinary customer. I must be discreet with observing the place, otherwise I’ll look suspicious and my ordinary-customer-undercover will be blown. I ask questions, make a purchase, report my observations and shopping experience to the mystery shopping company, get paid for it and get reimbursed for what I purchased up to a certain amount.

O diba, ang saya!

But it’s not all that easy. I have to remember everything I need to observe or the exact scenario I should create on the sales floor. And because I can’t be seen making notes, I either have to make mental notes, or run to the nearest restroom or fitting room. Then after the shop, I write every detail of my shopping experience in a grammatically correct, spelling-error-free report via the company’s online report forms within 12 hours.

It doesn’t pay a lot either. Shops range from $7-20, depending on time spent to shop and difficulty. Sometimes they only reimburse the purchase, no other pay.

In any case, it is a fun thing to do – to observe discreetly, shop and get paid for it. Makes me feel like a real spy. Now all I need is that earpiece...

posted by meL @ 7:33 AM